N43RF is tasked for a one plane CBLAST mission combined with SFMR observation into Hurricane Frances. Takeoff from Barbados will be at 10:00 AM AST and will recover in Barbados at 7:00 PM AST. A rotating 'figure 4' or butterfly pattern will be flown over the buoy and float array deployed yesterday by the USAF C130s. No stepped decents are planned.

Mission Summary :

This flight left Barbados at 10 AM AST and recovered there at 7 PM AST.
NOAA 43 flew a CBLAST mission today over the array of buoys and floats that were deployed yesterday morning by the USAFR 53rd WRS while the storm was transiting directly over the array. Coincident wave spectra from the floats and the SRA on the aircraft were obtained. Only 6 AXBTs were droped in an effort to obtain comparisons with the float temperature profiles. SFMR data was gathered to determine the surface wind field forcing on the oceanic response that was being measured by the floats and buoys. Two low level runs at 1500 feet were flown along the perimenter of the pattern during downwind runs between radial legs. Valuable BAT probe and LICOR flux data were measured near the top of the boundary layer. The APL PDA performed well. The Scripps camera system took important sea state photos during the low level runs. The tail Doppler radar was run in fore/aft mode allowing high resolution continuous boundary layer wind profiles to be taken.
Pete Black
Field Program Director

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